Raja Yoga Meditation systems, as taught by Himalayan Yogis Diaphragmatic and uniform breathing Correct posture. Straig

2. Raja Yoga Meditation systems, as taught by Himalayan Yogis • Diaphragmatic and uniform breathing • Correct posture. • Straight spine • No feeling of discomfort in the legs, back or neck • Shithili-karana, systematic relaxation • Relaxation of neuro-muscular system throughout a meditation session • Awareness of breathing • Using a mantra or a sacred word from whichever spiritual tradition First step to meditation is awareness of breathing

3. Diaphragmatic Breathing • Positions to practice Diaphragmatic breathing • Makarasana : The crocodile position (practice for 5-15minutes) • Lie on the stomach • Bring your awareness to the breathing process • Observe the flow of the breath • Let there be no jerks, no breaks in your breathing • Observe the gentle flow along with the rise and fall of the stomach and navel area • Take note of the breathing process • Resolve to breathe this way at all times • Shavasana : The corpse position • Turn over on your back in the shavasana position • Breathe and observe the rise and fall of the stomach and navel area • Place left palm on the chest and right palm on the stomach • Right palm should feel the rise and fall smoothly without jerks or breaks • Let uniform breathing develop. Length of inhalation and exhalation being equal Breathing should be relaxed to experience rejuvenation

4. Correct Posture • Technique to practice the posture. Straight spine is slightly “S” shaped curve • On the floor • Fold a blanket and make it into a neat and firm cushion • Place it under the sit bones with legs and knee on the floor • Straighten yourself • If any discomfort is felt in the back or neck, experiment with the height of the cushion • Experiment till you get optimum comfort • On the chair (Mitrasana) • Sit on the edge of a hard chair with feet on the ground • Sit with the spine straight • Let this become your natural position all the time Spine should be straight for sitting in meditation

5. Forehead>>>Eyebrow >>> Eyes >>> Nostrils >>> Cheeks >>> Jaw >>> Corner of the mouth >>> Chin >>> Neck >>> Neck-joint >>> Shoulders >>> Shoulder-joints >>> Upper arms >>> Elbows >>> Lower arms >>> wrists >>> hands >>> fingers >>> fingertips Fingertips >>> Hands >>> Wrists >>> Lower arms >>> Elbows >>> Upper arms >>> Shoulder joints >>> Shoulders >>> Chest >>> Heart area >>> Stomach >>> Navel >>> Abdomen >>> Pelvis >>> Thigh joints >>> Thighs >>> Knees >>> Calf muscles >>> Ankles >>> Feet >>> Toes. *Sequence • Systematic Relaxation • Practice Shithili-karana after diaphragmatic breathing • The body sequence relaxation method • Lie in shavasana to relax the body • Continue breathing diaphragmatically • Take mental inventory of the body from forehead to toe • Ask each part of the body to relax as it is brought to mind following the sequence*. (Forehead to Toe) • Relax in the reverse order up the body. (Toe to Forehead) • Remember the sequence. Go over the body and relax each of these parts in this sequence. • Let the different parts go limp Cont/d… Relax.. Re-establish diaphragmatic breathing

6. Systematic Relaxation • Practice Shithili-karana after diaphragmatic breathing • Tension / relaxation method if the body still not relaxed • Lie in shavasana • When tensing, tense from the finger or toes upwards • Tense and relax the right leg left leg right leg left leg • Tense and relax both legs simultaneously. Repeat • Tense and relax the right leg and arm left leg and arm right leg and arm left leg and arm • Tense and relax the right arm left arm right arm left arm • Tense and relax both arms simultaneously. Repeat • Tense and relax all the limbs simultaneously • Lie in shavasana for a few minutes, then sit up for meditation Sit with Sit bones on a folded blanket and the spine straight

7. Breath awareness • Become aware of the breath flow. No break in the awareness • Let the breath flow smoothly and evenly. No jerks. No breaks. No sound. No gasping • Feel the flow and touch of the breath in the nostrils • No Pause between the breath • Awareness of inhalations should immediately merge with the awareness of exhalation and vice versa • If the mind wanders off, straighten the spine again • Relax quickly again • Re-establish diaphragmatic breathing • Continue with the awareness of the flow and touch of the breath in the nostrils Let the breath flow like a Taila-dharavat. Smooth stream of oil

8. Mantra / Sacred Word • To begin with use soham. “I am that” • Those in different religious tradition may use the word prescribed by their tradition • Exhaling, mentally remember “ham” • Inhaling, mentally remember “so” • No interruptions in the breath awareness • No interruptions in the awareness of the flow of the word as a thought • Slowly lengthen the time of being aware of the flow without interruptions • Remember, meditative state cannot be entered by fighting oneself. • Let it flow. Let it happen. Observe and experience Observe how the breath, the word and the mind are flowing together

9. Mantra – Diksha • Seek out someone to give you the first initiation. Personal mantra. • Mantra and meditation are assigned according to individual’s samskaras imprints in the unconscious gathered over lifetimes, spiritual needs and the adhikara, level of qualification • One may be taught on the path of • Internal sound - nada • Light - jyoti • Channeling energy - kundalini • Meditation on centre of consciousness – initiator mentally touches the chakra. Student may be assigned • Visualisation of certain diagram • Presence of Ishta Devata – deity • Other object • Merge mantra with the energy of the given chakra and penetrate through its central point – bindu-vedhana • Transmission of consciousness in a direct preceptor-student mutual presence Guru’s Grace

10. BACK UP

11. Diaphragmatic Breathing : Crocodile Position • Step by step process • Lie on your stomach • Cross your arms or put one hand on the other • Rest your forehead on the arms or on the hand. Do not bend your neck • Your toes touching, heels apart, ankles practically flat on the ground • Your shoulders flat. Armpit practically touching the ground • Bring your attention away from all places to the place where you are lying down • Be aware of only the space your body is occupying from head to toe • Become aware of the flow of the breath and observe the flow • Breathe gently, slowly, smoothly. No jerks, no breaks in your breathing • Bring your attention to the gentle rise and fall of your stomach and the navel area • Observe the movement with the gentle rhythm of your breathing. • Continue to observe the stomach and navel area, breathing rhythm. • By observing, learn to breathe correctly. You may lie in this position as long as you wish

12. Diaphragmatic Breathing : Corpse Position • Step by step process • Post makarasana, gently roll-over and lie on your back • Feet apart, • Arms separate from the body, along side the body • Back of the hand resting on the ground • Let the entire body relax using the body sequence relaxation method • Continue to breathe as you were breathing in a crocodile position • Observe the gentle rise and fall of the stomach and the navel area • Observe how that area slightly inflates as you inhale and contracts as you exhale • Place left palm in the center of your bosom and right on your stomach • Observe there is no movement under the left palm. The movement should be felt under the right palm • Observe your breath as you exhale and inhale. No jerks. No breaks Either of the two exercises or both for 10-20 minutes, will change the texture and the tone of your life

13. 3 Minute Relaxation • Step by step process • Bring your attention to place where you are sitting • Be aware of the space your body is occupying from head to toe • Be aware of only this moment in time Quickly relax in the sequence: Forehead >>> Eyebrow >>> Eyes >>> Nostrils >>> Cheeks >>> Jaw >>> Corner of the mouth >>> Chin >>> Neck >>> Shoulders >>> Relax all the way down to finger tips Relax from finger tips to Shoulders >>> Chest >>> Stomach >>> Navel >>> Abdomen >>> abdomen >>> Thigh >>> Calves >>> Feet >>> Toes. Again relax all the organ from the Toes upwards • Bring your awareness to the breathing • Observe the gentle rise and fall of your stomach and navel area • Observe contraction and expansion of that area as you exhale and inhale • Feel the flow and touch of your breath in your nostrils • Count your breath 1 though 5 and 5 though 1. e.g. Exhale - count oooonnne in your mind, inhale – count twwooo in your mind • No break in your breathing. No break in counting 1 to 5 and 5 to 1. Maintain the count • Feel the flow and touch of the breath • Continue the practice for as long as you want and as frequently you want • Without breaking the count, gently open your eyes

14. Meditation with So-ham mantra • Step by step process • Be aware of yourself from head to toe • Draw around yourself, as it were, three circles of light • Resolve that neither the mind shall cross these circles nor will any thoughts and impressions would enter from outside • Remaining aware from head to toe, relax your limbs in few exhalations. Progressively relax your body with each exhalation • Maintain a resolve for one minute each that • No other thought will arise except for the awareness of the movement in the stomach and navel area with the rhythm of the breathing • No other thought except the awareness of the path of the breath from novel to nostrils and nostrils to navel. Feel the breath flow on this path • No intruding thought except the feel the breath in active nostril • No intruding thought except the feel the breath in passive nostril • No intruding thought except the feel the breath in both the nostrils • Exhale thinking the word haaammm, inhale thinking the word ssooo • No other thought for 2 min except sooo >>> haammm • No break between exhalation and inhalation • Feel the breath and observe for 2 min how the mind and word are flowing together • Mentally feel the spot between the nose-bridge and upper lip. Also feel the spot between the eyebrows • Inhale as if you are inhaling from the spot in front the nose-bridge and subtle energy flowing to the spot between the eyebrows. Exhale the same way. • Maintain the same stream of mind, word and the energy flow. • The flow between the two spots is known as Sushumna breath Cont/d…

15. May you receive the grace of the Himalayan Lineage • Meditation with So-ham mantra • Step by step process • Using the center of the eyebrow as a gateway, enter the chamber of your mind. • Resolve there will be no thought for 15 seconds, 30 seconds. No exterior thought. Utter silence. Mind absolutely still without ripple • Enjoy stillness and silence for 30 seconds. • Come out through the gateway between eyebrows. For minute be in the Sushumna breath • Maintain the stream and continue in silence. • Only single ripple arising out of the lake of silence – soham in the breath • Every 3-5 minutes, renew the resolve to permit no other thought. • To practice this, repeat the entire process (segments / steps)